Tag / Picture Books

Visual grammar provides a way to describe and communicate the features of an image. Close looking and thinking about the image helps build meaning.

This Post provides an updated Visual Grammar Guide that can be used as a teaching and learning tool for responding to images in picture books. The Visual Grammar Guide was presented to the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) via a Webinar on June 5, 2019.

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Although Book Week was some time ago now this Post showcases a selection of Year 3 responses to the six CBCA Short List Picture Books 2018. The students were introduced to the Visible Thinking Routine – Colour, Symbol, Image at the start of the series of lessons. After each picture book was read a brief sharing of ideas was completed to gain feedback on the response depth and to prompt additional ideas by building on what students shared. One additional task introduced was to list ideas that were interesting or important from the story – this assisted in building responses.Although some responses were a little brief it allowed students to respond to each book. Lessons were around 30-40 minutes so overall I feel it was an achievement to read and respond to each of the six short list books. As the activity was repeated for each book students quickly became familiar with the routine. It was also helpful for students to reflect on their Colour, Symbol, Image summary as they voted for their favourite short list book. For additional information visit this previous Post Exploring The CSI Thinking Routine Through Picture Books.

Who is the main character? Are they human, an animal or an imagined character?

What can the character see?

What might the character think?

What might the character care about?

The responses were collated to form a group summary. Students chose one of the books to respond to by drawing and writing. The use of writing prompt assisted students to respond to the Step Inside questions.

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Inspired by Anna Walker’s CBCA Short Listed book Florette, over the past few weeks at lunchtime a small group of students designed and created leaves and flowers for our very own Florette wall. If you look very close you will find delightful treasures.

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Each year The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) promotes and celebrates children’s books with the major event of Children’s Book Week during August. The 2018 Book Week theme is Find Your Treasure.

The six CBCA short list book categories offer schools a wealth of opportunities to engage with reading, respond to, and celebrate literature. Exploring the short list books aligns with the Australian Curriculum and provides important opportunities to build students’ literacy skills by incorporating rich, objectively selected, and aesthetically valuable texts.

Exploring the Short List

Create a book character bunting display

Year K – Read and explore the Early Childhood short list, focus on the main character. Create your book character bunting – students select one book and draw the main character, as an extension write the characters name and book title. Using ribbon arrange and tape the students work – hang for all to enjoy!

Step Inside the Character

Year 1 – Imagine if you could step inside the character in a picture book. Explore the Early Childhood short list using the Visible Thinking Routine – Step Inside the Character. Visit a previous Post for more information.

Exploring story elements

Year 2 – What makes a great picture book? Explore story elements of the short list Early Childhood books to design and create a diorama. Visit a previous Post for work samples, a lesson sequence and templates.

Colour – Symbol – Image

Year 3 – Explore the short list Picture Books to discover what ideas and connections can be identified in picture books. Visit a previous Postfor work samples, a lesson sequence and templates.

Visual literacy

Year 4 – Explore and examine the short list Picture Books to discover and identify visual literacy vocabulary and techniques used by the illustrator. Visit a previous Post Visual Literacy – Some Examplesto access the guide and background. Additional information can be found via a Guest Post I wrote in 217 for Softlink.

Promotional video

Competitions and lunchtime activities

QR Code Treasure Hunt

Back by popular demand, the QR Code Short List Treasure Hunt is sure to engage students. The QR Code Treasure Hunt has a question for each of the CBCA Short List books in the Early Childhood, Picture Book and Younger Readers categories. Full details2018 QR Code Short List Treasure Hunt.

Missing Book Character poster

Imagine if a book character went missing! Write a Missing Poster so they can be found. Full details including instructions and templates click here.

Postcard from a book

Imagine if you stepped inside a book! Who would you meet, where would you go, and what would you do? Write and draw about your book visit using the Postcard template. Full details of this activity click here.

Design a Book Trailer

Create a book trailer for a book or the Book Week theme Find Your Treasure. Organise a production team, make a plan, get filming! Keep your trailer between 1-2 minutes long that way it is short and sweet! Visit Tristan Bancks webpage How to make a book trailer for a wealth of information and to keep you on the right track.

Each year The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) promotes and celebrates children’s books with the major event of Children’s Book Week during August. There are several Posts related to Book Week on this Blog as it is a very special part of the Library program. Recently SCIS Connections published an article I wrote focusing on using the Early Childhood and Picture Book short list books, as well as providing an insight into exploring the Younger Readers chapter books in the F–6 school context. The full article can be found via Read, respond, celebrate: engaging with the CBCA short list

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“Anzac Day, 25 April, is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.”

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The Children’s Book Council Shortlist of books provided many possibilities to introduce and explore Thinking Routines. This term I introduced the Harvard Project Zero Visible Thinking Colour, Symbol, Image Routine CSI to Year 3. The CSI routine was introduced and each week after we had read one of the Shortlist books the students were given a sticky note to write or draw a Colour, Symbol and Image related to the story. After a few goes the activity became easier and the students were able to dig a little deeper. The CBCA Shortlist Picture books led to deep thinking as they covered themes and ideas that were real and at times confronting.

Once we had completed the activity for the six books the students selected one book to examine and respond using the CSI routine in greater detail. A selection of work can be found in this post. Overall I was impressed with the students understanding and their response to the CSI routine, it enabled students to share aspects of the book and touched on the theme, mood and at times character emotions.

This unit of work links to the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum English and has been used successfully with Year 3. It combines literacy and critical and creative thinking. Students explore the six CBCA Short List Picture Books and apply the Visible Thinking Routine – CSI to each book. For the final piece of work students select one book to extend on.

Key Focus:
Colour – Symbol – Image

List ideas (thoughts) that you found interesting or important from the story.

Choose one idea, what colour best represents this idea? Why?

Choose a symbol to represent this idea or connects with the story. Explain your reason.

What image would best represent this idea or connects with the story? What would the image include?